A small number of elk hunters were still using the highway as of Monday. The elk season closes Friday. Meanwhile, the highway closure will limit hunters' ability to use vehicles in order to access the mountain.

"Between the whiteouts and drifting and icy roads, closing the highway today is the right decision," Fleming added.

West of Burgess Junction, the annual closure is in effect at milepost 76.04 on the Lovell side of the Bighorn Mountains. The closure at Burgess Junction is just east of milepost 98.1.

The 22-mile stretch of highway typically closes at the conclusion of the fall hunting season and usually reopens by Memorial Day weekend.